


sleigh bells ring bro

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, spoilers for bluff city/fiasco august 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 01:24:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17336042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: It's not only lions that mate for life - sometimes zookeepers do too.





	sleigh bells ring bro

**Author's Note:**

> thank to maddie, for betaing this and for always being in the dms
> 
> and thanks to ali underscore west for posting the in-character texts from the episode:https://twitter.com/Friends_Table/status/1066825213969608704

 

Recording 1: [no title, 11:15am]   
" _ So when Boots, like, hooked me up with this phone, he was like you can use it for anything, and I was like 'anything?' and he was like 'sure, anything', and I was trying to think of things to record apart from sneezing, and I thought why not record my like, idea concepts, because I have heaps of ideas every. Single. Day. And this way it won't matter if like, I forget to text them to Darren. It's like, the perfect situation for me." _

 

Recording 2: [no title, 11:49am]   
_ "Pop tarts but they're like... a sandwich." _

  
  


Dax and Darren started at the zoo on the same day. They were in separate orientation groups and, despite the fact that their enclosures backed into one another's, they probably wouldn't even have met for months if Dax's hat hadn't fallen into Darren's side. 

 

Dax's head poked over the wall that separated the back area of both enclosures. 

 

“Yo, uh, hey dude,” said Dax, “wing me that?”

 

Darren chucked the hat at him. Dax almost caught in one handed, half falling off where he had hoisted himself up on the wall, his feet scraping on the old brick. His head popped back over the wall a moment later.

 

“Thanks,” said Dax, grinning as he sat the cap back on his head, “I guess now I know my dance moves are too sick to do here. Need a bigger space.”

 

“Your dance moves?” said Darren, “Is that like, a cat thing?”

 

“ _ Great _ cats. And nah,” said Dax, “I'm practising my moves for Just Dance for the PS4, gotta get my scores up.”

 

“Bro!” said Darren, “I love that game!”

 

He jumped, spinning around in a circle, which was his pro move. 

 

“Bro!” said Dax, feet scraping the brick again, “That was cool, you gotta show me how to do that.”

 

It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

  
  
Recording 3: [no title, 2:02pm, difficult to hear with the amount of bird noise in the background]   
" _ Birds, but if they all had like, peacock tails... I should tell this to Darren, he'll know how to make this happen." _ [a loud bird squawk, accompanied by Dax's startle yelp] _ "Oh yeah? Well, you're not getting one! How about that huh? How about- oh shit!" _ [a fumbling noise and then the sound of running, a slammed cage door] " _ Ha! Made it! You dumb bird." _   
  


 

They ate lunch together most days. It wasn’t  _ planned _ , it was just that they just always happened to get hungry around the same time and it made sense to Dax to hoist himself over the wall that seperated their two areas and call out to Darren to see if he wanted to get something to eat. Darren always did, so he figured it was still the right call.

 

Mostly they bought stuff from home. Dax’s mom still got him these tiny packets of off-brand chips that he’d been having in his lunch since grade school that he didn’t even like anymore, but Darren did like them, so he always made sure to chuck a couple in his backpack before he headed out.

 

“They’re like… a tiny burst of flavour,” said Darren, around a mouthful of the chips, “I mean, you like Starbursts, right?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.”

 

“Well these are just like savoury Starbursts!”

 

Dax made a face. “I don’t want to eat savoury Starbursts. I only like the strawberry ones.”

 

Darren laughed, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. “You know what I mean dude.”

 

“Yeah,” said Dax, because he sort of did, yeah. “But like, I still don’t want to eat it.”

 

“That’s okay,” said Darren, “I’ll always be around to eat it for you.”

 

Dax nodded, and took some grapes out of Darren’s lunchbox. “Thanks.”

 

Darren pushed the container of grapes closer to Dax. “Hey, no problem.”

 

  
Recording 4: [no title, 8:15pm]  
" _Great idea number, uh... whatever, my ideas don't need numbers. So get this right, I'm walking home, and there's this group of stray cats that I pass by every day and they're like, totally cool with me probably because I'm so tight with the great cats, and they come over and I like, give them some food or whatever, and they're jumping around and then I'm like whoa, because these cats are basically putting on this show for me, and then I was thinking like, wow, it would be cool if the great cats could do this, but then I was like, these cats are already doing it, so like, all we'd need is some tiny manes and they'd-"_ [phone buzzing, click of a phone being unlocked] [Dax laughing] _"Dude...that's... so... funny... they... so... would"_ [phone buzzing] _"yeah... bro"_ [phone buzzing] _"totally...killer"_   
[the rest of the recording is silent except for Dax's quiet narration of his text messages and laughter at Darren's, cutting off mid-laugh as he presumably hits the stop record button by accident]  
  
  


The music in the club is so loud it vibrates the sidewalk outside of it. Dax grins, swaying a little on his feet as he waits for Darren to catch up. It always takes Darren so long to leave the club, because he wants to say goodbye to everyone. He’s cool like that.

 

“Hey!” says Darren, as loudly as if they were still by the club’s speakers.

 

“Hey!” says Dax back, just as loud.

 

Darren laughs, and Dax does too, caught on the bubbly-happy feeling that Darren understanding when he’s joking always gives him.

 

“Thanks for making me go out tonight bro,” says Dax, “You were totally right, I did need it.”

 

“I knew you did man,” says Darren, “I know it’s been like, a rough week for you.”

 

Dax sags, the warm joy of the evening dissipating. One of his lionesses has gone to Trenton and he’s starting to think the zoo’s not going to trade her back. His lion is sad.  _ He’s _ sad.

 

“Yeah,” says Dax, his voice coming out much smaller than he’d intended.

 

“Hey,” says Darren.

 

He slings an arm over Dax’s shoulders, pulling them closer together. Dax leans into it. Darren is warm, and comfy, and doesn’t say anything when Dax presses his face into the crook of his neck. Darren always smells kind of like the fresh hay he puts out for the Peccaries. Dax breathes it in, letting the scent chase out his mental image of his sad lion.

 

“It’s gonna be okay,” says Darren, “We’ll figure something out.”

 

Dax nods. He keeps leaning against Darren like that until their taxi arrives. Darren maneuvers them both into the back, gives the driver directions, and then lets Dax settle against his side. He’s so comfy. It’s why he’s such a great keeper.

 

He feels Darren’s chest lift with his huff of laughter.

 

“Thanks bro.”

 

Dax can’t remember if he said that out loud or not, but it probably doesn’t matter. Darren gets it.

  
  


Recording 5: [no title, 2:58am]

[fumbling noise]  _ “So, like… neon animals, like, an animal rave at night that people can go to, and it’s really chill, and all the animals can hang out, even if they’re at… at different zoos or whatever… yeah…” _

  
  


“So I’ve been thinking,” says Darren.

 

“Yeah?” says Dax.

 

They both pause, as the stream of spray paint hits the foam elephant. It’s loud but it’s  _ so _ much faster than when they painted them by hand. Dax carefully turns it so that it gets an even coat before he signals to Darren to turn the machine off.

 

“About the lions,” says Darren.

 

Dax looks up at him. “Yeah?”

 

“I don’t want to say too much, because I’m still like, thinking through all the stages, and I need to check with some people,” says Darren slowly, “but I think I’ve got a way to bring her back.”

 

“Seriously?” says Dax.

 

“Would I lie to you, bro?” says Darren, and no, he would  _ never _ .

 

Dax whoops excitedly, jumping up and pulling Darren into hug. They’re both a little damp from the paint so it doesn’t feel great but Dax doesn’t even care.

 

“Darren, man…”

 

“Hey,” says Darren, holding up his hands, “When my friend is sad it’s my duty to like, get him unsad.”

 

Dax nods. Then he laughs, and pulls Darren into a hug again, which sort of turns into wrestling and then back into a hug. They get grey elephant paint everywhere and Dax’s mom is  _ so _ going to make him clean it, but in this moment, he couldn’t be happier.

 

  
Recording 6: [no title, 4:03pm]

[Dax clearing his throat]  _ “Uh… So. We’re gathered here today to… Today Trenton Zoo are giving back- wait Never said not to mention them, uh… It was… When the lioness went away it was super sad, because lions mate for life and you can’t just split them up and- okay… deep breath. Today these two lions are going to renew their vows to each other, because lions mate for life, which is totally sick. _ [long pause]  _ yeah, something like that.” _ [Boots can be heard faintly in the background, yelling for Dax]  _ “Alright, go-time _ .”

  
  


“It's like… majestic,” says Dax. 

 

It's quiet now that the public's gone. Dax doesn't really get any quieter, but there's a certain quality to him that softens, just a little, when it's just him and Dax (and the lions, of course).

 

He and Darren are sitting close together, watching the newly-married lions from the keeper's-only section at the back the lion enclosure. The lions tentatively sniff each others faces. That’s probably okay, they’ve been apart for a little while. Darren figures that this is probably the lion equivalent of small talk.

 

“Yeah,” says Darren. He looks back out at the lions. “They mate for  _ life,  _ bro.”

 

Dax lets out a long breath. “Yeah.”

 

Darren looks at him out of the corner of his eye. Dax is misty eyed, turning his cap over in his hands as he looks at the lions. He gets that way sometimes, Darren knows, because of how strong his bond is with them. It’s part of what makes him such a good keeper. 

 

When Darren puts a hand on his shoulder he starts in surprise, then huffs a laugh, leaning into Darren, his head almost leaning on Darren's shoulder as he tips his head back to look up at Darren. 

 

“It's pretty sick that they do that,” says Dax, “like, they just find each other and then like… hang out forever.”

 

“Yeah,” says Darren.

 

He feels like he should look back at the lions, but Dax keeps looking up at him, his gaze as intense as the wronged lion had been, but without any of the judgement in his gaze.

 

Dax reaches up a hand, and Darren's breath catches in his throat. 

 

Dax ruffles a hand through Darren's hair, his touch warm and lingering. Darren swallows hard. 

 

“Your hair's gettin’ long dude.”

 

Darren feels himself flush, but he laughs. “I guess.”

 

Dax is still looking up at him. His hand leaves Darren's scalp, settling lightly on the back of his neck. Darren feels like he can't get enough air into his lungs. He lets the warmth of Dax's hand guide him down, slowly, until their lips meet, gasping upon contact. 

 

Dax shifts slightly, giving himself more leverage. Darren pulls him closer, sliding his hand under the tight fabric of Dax's sleeveless t-shirt to feel the warmth of his skin. Dax shivers, pressing closer, sliding so that he's half-lying in between Darren's legs. 

 

They kiss without the hurry their lives have had to them recently, reminding Darren of the slow summer season that preceded it, lunch breaks with Dax behind the water feature in the peacock park and warm nights down on the boardwalk together. It’s not like they hadn’t kissed then too, but this feels different than tipsy makeouts on the boardwalk. Dax’s hands are slow on him, his fingers pulling at the fabric of Darren’s tank top as he pulls himself further up Darren’s body.

 

Darren gasps into his mouth, a spike of heat shooting through him as Dax pulls himself fully into Darren’s lap. He feels Dax grin against his lips as they both take a breath, and then he’s swept away again.

 

Dax breaks off to kiss at the spot under Darren’s jaw that always makes Darren shudder (or maybe it’s just when Dax does it). Darren takes a shuddering breath, his unfocused gaze landing on the lions. 

 

The lions are staring at them.

 

“Oh man,” says Darren, “we’re still at work. We should-” He bites his lip to suppress a sound, swallowing hard before he continues.  “We should like, not be at work for this.”

 

“Who’s place is closer?” Dax doesn’t really break away, mumbling the words onto Darren’s skin.

 

Darren tries to think, a difficult task with Dax’s hands now sliding under his tank top, his hands searing hot against Darren’s sides.

 

“Uh, um. Mine. But my housemates are like, definitely home right now.”

 

Dax hums, the vibrations singing along Darren’s neck.

 

“My moms not back for like, another three hours,” says Dax, ”she works late tonight, so.”

 

He pauses, waiting for Darren to look down at him before he leans up to him. It’s a while before Darren can bring himself to pull away.

 

“Dude, let’s go before they like, lock us in.”

 

“Wouldn’t be so bad,” says Dax.

 

They manage to pull each other up, kissing every other breath. By the time they make it to Dax’s room they're probably only going to have like, an hour and a half, but Darren can't bring himself to mind. 

  
  


Recording 7: [non title, 8:28am]   
_ "First pop tart sandwich, totally a success" “Dax, you're a friggin genius.” “Thanks babe.” “No problem babe.”  _ [laughter]

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
